Chhattisgarh Naxal attack: Why was Congress rally route changed at the last minute?

New Delhi: National Investigation Agency's (NIA) teams are expected to reach Darba Ghati on Monday to begin their probe in the deadly Naxal attack in Chhattisgarh that killed 24 people and left 27 injured. What the NIA needs to probe now is why the Congress' rally route was changed at the last minute, who took that decision and why.

The funeral of Salwa Judum founder and Congress leader Mahendra Kumar will take place soon.

Meanwhile, the opposition Congress party's bandh will continue in the state today. The party's president Sonia Gandhi has called for a meeting in New Delhi to take stock of the Naxal threat.

"There have been security lapses. We have asked the NIA to probe. The buck has to stop somewhere. Punishment has to be meted out to someone, to whoever is responsible. At the Centre level or the state level," Minister of State Home RPN Singh said.

But the Bharatiya Janata Party has accused Congress of playing politics over the attack. "There is no difference between terrorism and Naxalism now. It is unfortunate that Congress plays politics over such attacks. We have hand cancelled today's Jail Bharo protest," said party Vice-President Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi.

Samajwadi Party MP Naresh Agarwal, however, suggested that a strong, single campaign is needed to resolved the Naxal issue. "There have been no results from the NIA till now," he said.

Meanwhile, veteran Congress leader VC Shukla, who was injured in the attack, is still critical and is being treated at a hospital in Gurgaon.